Commissioners are scheduled this morning to take final action on that fee, which would produce up to $9 million a year in revenue to the county. It would be collected and used in the unincorporated area of the county.

But, although part of the fee would replace property taxes that are collected in the unincorporated area, opponents said its addition to utility bills would penalize people who are least able to afford it -- the old and poor.

``We are not automatically against efforts to raise money,`` said Sol Silverman, board member of the Florida Consumers Federation and National Council of Senior Citizens, ``providing we understand what they are and it makes sense to us.``

The ordinance establishing the franchise fee, said Sunshine Democratic Club president Manny Kessler, is ``like writing a blank check. It says they can spend it in the unincorporated area as they see fit.``

Kessler added the hastily organized group would like to see the issue put to a referendum, possibly at the same time the county`s proposed $75 million beach bond goes to the voters Nov. 5.

Sally Kanter, American Association of Retired Persons representative, said the proposed fee would push utility bills for condominium residents higher than their monthly maintenance fees.

She criticized commissioners for what she called taking hasty action without informing the public.

The fees, however, were first proposed by County Administrator John Sansbury during budget sessions in mid-July and have been the focus of periodic discussions since that time.

``This is already in the budget,`` said Century Village Democratic Club president Harry Bilawski. ``If we don`t challenge it, we will not have a chance to remove it. This is an excessive charge they are proposing to put upon us, and we have very little margin for action.``

Local Florida Consumer Federation Executive Director Karen Clarke said the county`s proposed franchise fee, representing ``taxation without representation,`` was no different than franchise fees that have been collected by all of the county`s 37 municipalities for years.

Were they proposed for municipalities today, she said the federation would likely oppose them as well.

Too little has been said, she added, about how the proposed fee would influence property taxes paid for FPL customers.